Vedanta Power Appoints Kishor U Agrawal as Director, Nuclear Strategy

Vedanta Power has appointed Kishor U Agrawal, a former senior executive at the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), as Director, Nuclear Strategy & Advisory.

The appointment comes as India opens up its nuclear energy sector to private participation under the SHANTI Act, 2025, and targets nuclear power capacity of 100 GW by 2047. Vedanta Power has identified nuclear generation as a potential avenue for long-term growth alongside its planned expansion in thermal power.

Agrawal’s experience spans over two decades in nuclear project construction, including 35 years of service at NPCIL and retired as Associate Director. His other major projects include Kakrapar, Tarapur and Rajasthan atomic power projects, along with 16 years in procurement and contracts management. He subsequently served as Vice President, Nuclear Business, at Jindal India Power. He has also served as Joint Secretary of the Indian Nuclear Society.

Agrawal's appointment is expected to strengthen Vedanta Power's capabilities in assessing potential nuclear projects, technology options, partnerships and investment opportunities.

India's nuclear sector is undergoing a policy shift following the enactment of the SHANTI Act, 2025, which establishes a framework for wider private-sector participation, subject to applicable regulatory approvals and nuclear safety requirements. The government's Nuclear Energy Mission envisages increasing nuclear power capacity to 100 GW by 2047, with a focus on indigenous technologies, large reactors and small modular reactors. Atomic Energy Commission Chairman A.K. Mohanty has estimated that private investment in the sector could reach INR 7.5 lakh crore, contributing around 30 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047.

Alongside its nuclear ambitions, Vedanta Power is pursuing an expansion of its conventional generation business. According to its May 2026 investor presentation, the company had 4,180 MW of operational thermal power capacity, with an additional 600 MW under commissioning. Its expansion plans include adding 7,200 MW at its Sakti thermal power project in Chhattisgarh, taking its targeted total capacity to approximately 12 GW by FY33, and 20 GW in the long run, subject to the requisite approvals.